Chao Leagues
by Rai Pager
Summary: The "Chao Leagues" is a sports event where competitive Chao participate in racing and karate tournaments. Shibasawa "Yoshi" gets excited when Shaiya Tilki, owner of Chao Champion, Star, takes him under her wing to teach him how to bring up champion Chao.


**Chao Leagues**

Chapter 1

_Fukui Village, Yotai Island_

_~Shibasawa Lodgings - 22:30_

"And we're almost near the end of the Chao Leagues. The referee has called for a final race to break the tie between Leland Sykes and Shaiya Tilki!"

Twelve-year-old Shibasawa Yoshiki was scrunched up on the couch in front of the TV, gripping and biting down on a couch cushion. His stomach twisted into knots watching the last season's race of the Chao Leagues.

The players' profiles appeared on screen while the sports announcers' discussed the details of the upcoming race. While the handsome young man's picture on the right, with his soft gray eyes sparkling like diamonds and his radiant blonde hair bright as the sun, made female fans swoon, Yoshi was focused on the younger lady's picture, with black, downward 'porcupine' braids and brown eyes deep in concentration, on the left.

"Tilki and her Chao, Star, have turned from underrated underdogs to overachieving champions for four years running," said the first announcer.

The second announcer followed, "And soon to be five if Star can beat Sykes' Chao, Lei. Both Lei and Star are equally swift swimmers, the fastest we've ever seen in our career." Yoshi nearly squealed when he saw their Chao pictures.

Chao were small creatures that were a mystery to everyone with their small, delicate water-like bodies, their teardrop shaped heads with their 'emotiballs' floating a few inches above it, and their lasting innocences. They suddenly came out of nowhere and slowly blended in with the rest of the population, not as pets but as companions. They have been commonly seen in a sport known as the "Chao Leagues", where Chao owners train their them at their best skills and enter them in Chao Races or Chao Karate Tournaments. It was something entertaining to watch during the spring and fall, but for hardcore fans it was the Olympics for them, especially for Yoshi since he lived in "the most plain and boring place on Yotai Island".

Fukui Village was hidden wide-open valley surrounded by Tibbit Mountains. Cut off from modern civilization, the village didn't rely on the latest technology to make their lives better; they got their water from a pure, clean mountain springs, they grew their own food, and manpower got all of the work done.

Yoshi's family ran a lodging that was built out of a massive, hallow fallen redwood tree on the edge of the family run hometown. If someone needed a place to stay while their house was being built or renovated or one of the husbands needed to sleep away a drunken binge, their lodge was the place to stay.

Needing something more dependable than an almanac and luck, Toshio was given an old wide-screen TV from a friend living in a nearby city. The TV was open to anyone in the village and the farmers and fishermen depended on the weather and farming channels. It didn't take long for the rest of the village were coming over to watch the TV, getting addicted to sports events, reality dramas, game shows, and soap operas.

That was how Yoshi started with his Chao obsession. After news calmed down about a blue hedgehog saving a faraway city from a gigantic, ferocious watery monster and then saving the world from an out-of-control satellite weapon, he found the "CHAO CHAN" (Chao Channel). He watched Chao compete during the spring and fall seasons, keeping up with up and coming Chao and their owners who got the to where they are now.

His favorite Chao was Star, a two-tone white blue Hero Chao with almost unbeatable swimming ability. Star was raised by Shaiya Tilki, a soft but serious 15-year-old girl whose training methods are rumored to be vicious, but fulfilling afterwards. Yoshi believed his father could never understand his passion for Chao since his hometown was partially cut off from the rest of the world and hardly showed interest of anything going on out there.

Yoshi cheered loudly and jumped up and down on the couch when Star, appeared on screen waddling out of the lane door right next Lei, a green and yellow Neutral Chao. "Alright Star and Shaiya! Your fifth win! You can do it!"

Loud knocking from the walls startled him and fell back on the couch. He glared back at his older sister, Kumiko, who was standing behind him near the hallway entrance. "Would you give it a rest?" She griped, "_Some _of us are trying to sleep."

Yoshi only growled at her for a bit. The ref's whistle blowing got his attention back on the TV. Kumiko rolled her eyes and shook her head before going back to her room. Yumiko, his mother, followed after her tying a night cap around her hair.

"Now Yoshiki, don't stay up too late," she said sternly, "Just because this is the last Chao race for the season doesn't excuse you for missing school in the morning."

He replied waving his arm to her not even turning around, "Right. Sure mom. Goodnight. See you in the morning."

Yumiko sighed as she headed upstairs, mumbling regrettably, "Maybe that was bad idea to get the TV."

The 'Chao-Cam' panned in front of both Chao. Each Chao's detailed features told people what skills they were best at; Star, a pure Swimming Chao, had two, thin "rabbit ear" extensions flowing from the top and down the sides of her head and a slimmer body with fin-tipped limbs. Lei, a swimmer and a powerhouse, looked like a chubby toad with cat ear extensions. Yoshi's heart was thumping rapidly seeing the Swimming Chao side-by-side in the rainbow colored lane.

TV viewers could see that the Chao were tired but had a little more energy to settle the last race. The camera hovered higher and higher to get a full view of the large, tube-shaped aquatic race track with obstacles and twists and turns, then over to Shaiya and Sykes who were standing in reserved floating box seats on the edge of the field.

Lei fans were cheering loudly but they were rapidly drowned out by people shouting for Star. The cheering got louder when an Omochao, a robotic Chao topped with a propeller, flew over the crowd and the race track, it's small propeller on its head rotating on top of its head. "Looks like the tie-breaking race is about to begin," the first announcer declared, "Good luck to both Chao and may the best one win."

Omochao landed on the edge of the track and both Chao stood at attention. Omochao's voice echoed around the stadium, "Racers! On your mark!" The two Chao crouched leaning forward, looking ready to take off at any moment. Suspense was building between the stadium audience and TV viewers. It was like time had come to a complete halt as Omochao lifted up the toy pistol toward the air. A loud pop out of the barrel started it again.

Both Chao ran down the lanes in an awkward, exaggerated manner, possibly due to having no legs, side-by-side at the same speed. They leaped forward when they reached the edge where the lane turned into water. A tall geyser shot up behind them as soon as they dived in. They started paddling and kicking rapidly, speeding through the water like mini jet boats.

The announcer could barely be heard over the roaring crowd, "And as expected, Star and Lei are giving in their all to make this season's final race a memorable one."

Water splashed everywhere, their limbs blurred and their wings flapped furiously as they glided smoothly through the water and drifted cleanly when they came along curves.

One curve proved costly for Star; she made a wide turn giving Lei room to zip past her. He used his strength to kick large waves in her path. Star had her mouth open to catch a breath when water splashed into her face. She flailed in water, coughing and sputtering, splashing in a panicked circle.

"No!" Yoshi squeaked grabbing his hair. Half of the audience crowd quieted down, gasping and groaning. The second announcer winced, "Looks like Star has taken on water and that has given Lei a huge lead."

Shaiya leaned against the edge of her box seat, gripping it tightly, and quietly mouthed out something, which was caught on camera. Her words must have reached Star's ears among the stadium racket because she regained her composure and dove under water. The Chao-Cam stayed focused on the submerged Star, who looked like a white blur, as she paddled her way through the twisting watery path, swimming through rings and jumping over water hurdles.

"And Star has gotten her head back in the race but can she catch up to Lei in time?" The crowd got louder responding to the announcer's question. Lei was making more huge waves as he kicked hoping it would keep his opponent from catching up. One last turn and the finish line was only a few feet away. "And Lei is only a few seconds away from winning this race! But. . .But WAIT!"

Lei felt water droplets sprinkling over him and a shadow loomed over him. He glanced up seeing Star's blue patched belly. Star soared over him, lightly bumped against his emotiball, and made a big, wet landing on dry ground crossing the finish line.

Everyone bolted out of their chairs, screaming for joy, especially, the announcer, "AMAZING! Like an elegant orca craving for freedom, Star has made a giant leap of faith and belly flopped across the finish line! A fifth year winning streak has been reached!"

Yoshi was bouncing around the living room like a caffienated flea, whooping and hollering victoriously. He landed on the couch, snickering as he watched Shaiya shake hands with Sykes. "Yeah, that's right! No one can beat Star and Shaiya!" He pumped both fist in the air, "They're unstoppable!"

Then his dad, Toshio, slammed his knuckles on his head, making him yelp out in. "And if you don't get your tail in bed, I'm going to make your TV watching stoppable!" He threatened.

Yoshi rubbed the sore spot on his head sulking his way to the bathroom as his dad turned to the TV off. He climbed up the ladder staircase in front of the hallway. While the hallway led to the rooms for visitors, the ladder-steps leading upstairs was where the Shibasawa family slept.

He brushed his teeth as his dad went around the house making sure all the lights were put out and that oven was cooled down. He could hear his dad walking upstairs after a few minutes. Toshio almost walked by the bathroom until he saw his son looking gloomy and rubbing up at where his father knuckled him.

"I know that you get excited watching these Chao tournaments, Yoshiki, but something like that should be only a part of your life. Not on your mind 24/7," Toshio said softly. "You're still in school. You should be learning how to improve your grades and focus on what you want to do in your future."

Yoshi whirled sputtering toothpaste foam as he spoke, "But I already know what I wanna be, Dad. I wanna be a Chao breeder!"

"I heard you have to be 13 years old to be a Chao breeder, son." He replied.

"I've got one more year to go, then I'll be able to get my I.D. and be a bona fide Chao breeder!" He sputtered toothpaste foam and it flew on the bridge of his father's noe.

Toshio cringed. "We'll see," He replied as he scooted past his son to grab his washrag and wiped his face, "But until then you keep your mind on your studies. Now get to bed. It's late and I don't want to have to dump cold water on you to get you up again."

Yoshi rinsed his mouth out and waved goodnight to his father. He yawned as he went the last door into his room where, inside, just about everything was adored in Chao paraphernalia; posters on the wall, a small rug, alarm clock, pillows, even little Chao action figures stood ready for a challenge on his floating shelves with their respective Chao owners posing behind them.

The only time villagers did venture out to the city was to trade their crops or supplies for things that aren't simple to make, like medicines, school supplies, and metal or iron tools. Currency was never used, or even heard of, in the village. They either traded food and supplies or simply did the work for free.

Toshio's friend, the same one who gave him the TV, heard about Yoshi's love for Chao. He would send him Chao related merchandise as a reward when his father told him about his accomplishments in school.

Having Chao toys, action figures, and furnishings was nice but Yoshi rather live the life of being a full-fledged Chao breeder. All he could do for now was dream it and that's what he did as soon as he slid into his bed.

_Mountain Trail, Yotai Island_

_~Outskirts of Fukui Village - 1:00_

Bicycle wheels clicked as a figure rode it through a thick bamboo forest on a mountain path. She had her cell phone up to her ear talking to a concerned someone on the other end as she stayed on the dirt path. "Okay now when you get to the fork in the road, you'll see the right path kinda fades," the person on the other end instructed. "Go that way. Don't worry, it's short grass all the way through. It'll take you safely past the mountain instead of having you ride over it."

"What about you?" The female bike rider asked, "Aren't you coming? These people don't know me. What if they say I have to leave?"

The caller replied, "As long as you don't start any trouble, they should welcome you like family. I have to clean up this mess then find the person who caused it before I join you. You two just relax for a couple of days and leave everything to me."

The bike rider stared down at the small creature in the front basket, hearing it coo worriedly, and sighed, "Aright. Although, you don't really have to look far for the culprit. We all know it's Darryl."

She heard the caller's garbled message through the interference. "Yo-. . .cuttin' off. . . . take ca-. . .-ou later." Her phone beeped alerting that there was no more signal.

She slowed down as she slid her phone into her pocket. "A village in the middle of nowhere. No computers, no TV, no visio-phones. Doesn't sound like a lot of fun, but no one knows about this place so no paparazzi, no microphones in my face, no schedule news interviews," She smiled down at the small creature who stared back at her, "So it'll be nothing but peace and quiet."

She approached where the path separated and pedaled to the right. It was a smooth ride along the grass and the bamboo stalks around her was thinning.

Exiting the forest, she had to stop herself to view the scenery. Her jaw dropped seeing tall, beautiful mountains towering over a wide, open grassy valley that seemed to go on forever and right smack dab in the middle of it all in the distance was a small, quaint peaceful village. No loud city noises, no bright lights, no loud talking; just chirping crickets and the nightly wind making grass whistle and rustle and wind chimes ring.

She rode down the grassy hill and back on a dusty path that took her into the village. She pedaled softly to keep the clicking wheels quiet so as not to wake up the sleeping village. She whispered to herself as she looked around, "Now if I remember right, he said to look for a large log with a sign near a door. What, was he raised by chipmunks?"

She did find the fallen log with dark windows and a tatami sliding door. She jumped off the bike and walked the rest of the way with her small companion peeking over the basket edge. She noticed a homemade wooden house plaque by the door:

"We're not available right now

Due to the rising of the moon

But welcome to the Shibasawa Lodge!

Come in and choose a room."

Toshio Yumiko

Kumiko

Yoshiki

"Cute." The bike rider chuckled. She gently propped her bike against the wall and picked up the small creature out of the basket, cradling it in her arm, "So do I just. . .go on in?" The sign's message was inviting but she was skeptical about just waltzing in. She was even more shocked when she was able to slide the screen door open.

It was dark inside but she could see the wide circular lobby and the shapes of two couches near a big screen TV. She closed the door behind her and slid out of her dirty white and blue sneakers. She took a pair of house slippers out of a shoe cubby hole slot and replaced her shoes in it Now wearing comfortable foot wear, she carefully trotted across the room and down the short hallway passing the ladder staircase.

Their were four room doors with wooden-carved, painted symbols hanging on the front. The two on the right had a heart and a flower and the two on the left had a rabbit and a star. With a smile, she instinctively headed to the door with the star. "And we didn't even need reservations," she said to the yawning creature in her arm.

_Fukui Village, Yotai Island_

_~Shibasawa Lodgings - 6:20_

"Alright! Good job! Just 100 more laps to go!" Yoshiki, in his coach attire, glanced up from his time watch and saw his Chao run around a school track at supersonic speed. At the speed it was going, it would finish its 100th lap in under of minute. His female fans, six years older than him, sat on the bleachers behind him loudly cheering his name and clapping vivaciously.

The Chao skidded to a stop right next to him with no drop of sweat on it; it looked like it was ready for another hundred lap. "A minuted and ten seconds! Good job!" He congratulated the Chao with a high five and offered it bottled water.

Just as his adoring female fans jumped up and unanimously screamed "We love you, Yoshi!", microphones were shoved in his face. He didn't blink from the flashing cameras and his ears didn't ring from then the boisterous reporters. One news lady managed to get her question out among of all the rest, "Shibasawa Yoshiki! Only twelve years old and you're already showing signs on becoming a champion of this season's Chao tournament. But tell us, do you think you'll be able to win your first competition?"

Standing with his legs apart and clenched fists on his hips, he stated, "I don't _think_. I **know **that I'll win this season's tournament."

Before he knew it, he was sitting in the Chao Stadium sitting in his own luxury box sipping soda from a large cup waiting for the race to begin. His Chao was in Slot 4 tapping its foot impatiently. It was only a beginner's race, from one end of the stadium to the other with no obstacles in the way.

Omochao came flying over the crowd and they cheered excitedly seeing the race was about to begin. It landed on the edge of the starting lanes and the Chao stood up ready to run off once the robotic Chao fired the toy pistol. A soft 'pop' reverberated around the stadium and the lanes were instantly covered in dust. The seven Chao were sent flying everywhere, into the stands, in nearby pools, and a couple landed right in their owners' boxes. When the cloud dust cleared, the remaining Chao, Yoshi's Chao, was the only one standing across the finish line.

"I did it. . .I won! I'm the champion!" Yoshiki stood tall on the middle of the winners pedestal, both fists pumped the air as confetti rained down from the ceiling. The shamed unidentified Chao breeders on both sides of him had their heads down with small medals, silver and bronze respectively, draped around their neck. Yoshi bowed forward as the judge happily slipped the large gold medal on his neck.

He stood up, admiring the medallion for a brief moment, then waved to his adoring fans. He tried to step down from the pedestal but for some reason, he couldn't lift his foot. There was a great weight on his chest and it was getting heavier by the second.

He gazed down at his medal and the gold was slowly turning a dirty, dank green. His arms froze as soon as he thought of removing it and he began to bend backwards. It felt like his ribs would collapse on his lungs at any moment. He managed to keep his balance but if he didn't do something right now, he would fall backwards off the pedestal and probably crushed under the heavy medal. Using all his strength, he jerked his arms forward and grabbed the medal.

But it wasn't a medal he was holding.

"Hey! Lemme go, Romeo!" Kumiko yelled. Yoshi screamed loudly pushing his sister violently off of him.

Yumiko heard the commotion upstairs as she chopped green onions in the kitchen, then she heard someone coming in through the door behind her grunting. She glanced back seeing her husband lugging in a full bucket of water. "Yoshiki's up," she said softly.

Toshio exhaled deeply and nearly dropped the full bucket on the floor. "Good." He wheezed, "Not as young as I used to be. Don't think I'd have the strength to carry this upstairs."

"Just leave the bucket there, Toshio," She said. "I'll have to boil some more rice anyway."

"Oh? Why so?" He asked as he took a seat at the dining table. Yumiko set down a bucket of steamed rice, a bowl of boiled natto, and a plate of tamagoyaki for each family member.

She poured a bowl of miso soup for her husband. "We have a late night visitor." She whispered, "They're sleeping in the star room and something tells me that they'll be a big eater."

Toshio picked up the wooden bowl and carefully sipped the soup. "They made a big order?" He asked. They paused hearing their children's arguing getting louder as they approached the kitchen. Toshio glared at his son as he walked in. "You should tell your sister 'thank you'," he said. "I was about to come up there with the bucket."

Yoshi ate his breakfast angrily. "Rather drown in water than wake up with _someone _sitting on me!" He directed the last few words at his sister, "I gotta take a quick bath so that I can get the smell off me."

Kumiko protested, "I **do not** smell!"

Yumiko abruptly sat down smacking both hands down on the table, "Now that's enough you two! Eat your breakfast, then I want you to get two dressed and head to school. And Yoshi, you will have to wait and come back to bathe. Knowing you, you'll leave your underwear in the bathroom and it'll scare our guest."

The children stopped in mid-eating. "Guest?" Rice and natto fell from Kumiko's chopsticks and back into the bowl, "We have a guest?"

"Who is it?" Yoshi asked with his mouth stuffed with eggs, "Is it Mr. Hideki? Or maybe Miss Kita? Ooh! What if it's someone from the outside cities?"

Yumiko flinched a little but only her husband noticed. "Finish your breakfast," he said to his children, "School will be starting soon and I don't want you two to be late."

Breakfast continued silently with the siblings glancing up angrily at each other every now and then and they stuffed their mouths as if they were having an eating contest. They finished almost simultaneously, shoving away from the table, and running back upstairs to get dressed.

"No running!" Their mother shouted. They had disappeared up the stairs not paying attention. As Yumiko stacked dirty dishes and cups on the empty end of the table, Toshio asked quietly, "We have a guest from the outside cities?" Yumiko didn't respond immediately. She sighed heavily and nodded solemnly.

Yumiko didn't trust people from the cities. She always had a bad experience with them; they were loud, rude, and inconsiderate to her and always caused trouble for Fukui Village denizens.

"Look, I will show you." She took her husband into the lobby and over shoe cubby. They saw a pair of smudged sneakers in the slot furthest away from the door.

Toshio inspected them closer, "They are small. Probably a young lady who got lost trying to find her way home." He saw his wife was still distressed and gently grabbed both her hands. "Don't worry," he patted them gently. "You want me to take a look?"

Yumiko nodded meekly. He kissed her forehead and told her to go prepare another meal for their guest. Just as she headed into the kitchen, Yoshiki and Kumiko came running downstairs, dressed and carrying their randoserus. They gave their dad a quick hug and a kiss then headed into the kitchen to grab their lunch bags and say goodbye to their mother.

Toshio gently tip-toed down the hallway toward the star door. He remembered when he marched down the hall whistling a happy tune and it awoke a very grumpy and irritable man from Adabat. Getting closer, he saw the door was slightly ajar and could hear someone snoring softly from inside.

He pushed the door open carefully. He could see the headboard and someone sleeping in bed with their back to the door. Toshio felt a little braver and opened the door wider. The hinges creaked and the small creature, sitting on the end of the bed, looked to the door letting out a questionable squeak.

[_Chao, the Sonic universe, and other related characters are © Sonic Team. Yoshiki, Shaiya, and all other unrelated characters and the land of Yotai is © Rai Pager._]


End file.
